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Germany looks to give spy services more cloak-and-dagger powers

12 August 2026 14:28 (UTC +04:00)

The German government plans Wednesday to put forward a major overhaul of the country’s intelligence agencies to give them broad new powers to conduct covert operations and take action against foreign threats, Al Arabiya reports.

The reforms, under discussion for several months, would loosen strict rules that have largely limited Germany’s secret services to gathering intelligence and passing on reports.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition has argued that more powerful intelligence agencies are needed to counter the threats posed by hostile foreign powers as well as terrorist groups and cybercriminals.

German officials accuse Moscow of waging a “hybrid” campaign of sabotage, espionage and disinformation against the country, which is among Ukraine’s biggest military supporters in the war with Russia.

“We are in the thick of a hybrid conflict not only with Russia but also with other actors,” Marc Henrichmann, chairman of the parliament’s intelligence oversight committee, told AFP. “And so our intelligence services must also keep pace with the times and stay one step ahead of the curve.”

He argued Germany’s cautious approach has left it “behind the curve” and unable to properly contribute to European security.

Henrichmann pointed to a string of recent incidents, including an explosive-laden drone discovered at Leipzig airport last week, to underscore the importance of the changes.

“We face adversaries who play without any rules at all,” he said. “They have no regard for law and order. Their goal is not merely to put the West, the EU and Germany under pressure, but ideally to bring them to their knees.”